Gov. Kemp urges Georgians to get COVID-19 test if they were in Labor Day crowds
Georgians who enjoyed their Labor Day weekend with others, particularly in large groups or without social distancing, are advised to schedule a coronavirus test as soon as possible.
Gov. Brian Kemp and Dr. Kathleen Toomey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health, urged residents in a statement released Thursday to take advantage of the state’s roughly 180 testing locations in order to protect lives from COVID-19.
“To prevent increased community spread following the holiday weekend, we are asking all Georgians who participated in gatherings, were not able to socially distance, or who may have been exposed to the virus to schedule a COVID-19 test,” Kemp said in the statement. “To stop the spread of COVID-19, Georgians must be part of the solution and not the problem, as we have said from the beginning.”
Toomey also recommends that Labor Day participants schedule a flu shot.
“These two steps can mitigate community spread and keep Georgians healthy as we continue on a positive trajectory with the virus,” she said.
In addition to a COVID-19 test and flu shot, Kemp said residents should continue “to do Four Things for Fall,” which include wearing a face mask in public, staying at least six feet away from others, washing your hands with soap and water, and following the state’s public health guidance.
The state’s “four things” were announced last week in anticipation of a busy Labor Day weekend following “a surge of new infections” that arose after Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.
To schedule a coronavirus test, visit Georgia’s Department of Public Health’s website, or visit this link.
As of Sept. 10, there are more than 289,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in Georgia and more than 6,200 deaths, according to the state’s DPH.
